Antisplash shield



1m30, 1945. C', F NORUN 2,368,375

ANTISPLASH SHIELD Filed Julyv 9. 1945 Zigg- 2'.

INVENTOR.

'Patented Jan. 30, 1945 Thisfmveniton relatestor fo'otwear an'wpartici thefootwearto preventtheffiiischarge3 of-f'dirtyff waterfromthe-heel'fcap ontoi stockings'or'trdue" sersgj;

'tefperrnitHergerfarspgiwfberformedf*therebriffarfd vwater from being thrown by the heel cap.

Other objects and benets will be disclosed in the following descriptions and drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a ladys shoe equipped with my anti-splash device; l

Fig. 2 is a back elevation 'view of the shoe shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged side elevation `views showing the operation of my anti-splash device as will latex be explained;

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 8a are enlarged perspective views of optional structures which will :be discussed and explained; l

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged broken side elevation views of storm rubbers equipped with my anti-splash devices formed integrally therewith.

Now referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 I show how water adheres to the heel cap when the wearer steps in water as in Fig. 3,' how droplets adhere to the heel cap when the heel is vlifted as in Fig. 4 and how these droplets run together at the back of the heel capwhen the wearers foot reverses its upward sweep and starts downwardly as in Fig. 5. The curved back of the heel tends to run the droplets togetherin largedrops at the back of the heel cap where these drops attain sufllcient size and weight to be impelled uwardly by the sharp foot movement thereby'to cause soiling of the lim-b clothing.

I have found that a small shield slightly removed from the heel cap--a sucient distance to permit the drop to form on the rear edge "of the heel cap (about 1A; inch) will stop and break up the drops dissipating their inertia to thus prevent them being thrown Vupwardly. This small narrow edged shield is not of suiiicient size forn'lo-'nyf inve'ntio-''infaivhichf a 'small'f shield il El jf is tattached\to\ *a resilient 'i rubber band "4 l 8 This@ shield*=may:befattached`lto" heel l 6- of a shoe'l 5? t asL-slrbw'in'Fi'gsi 1 ande-2.? shieldlilil being@l of rather sturdy structure is quite firm and may `beused as a tab in applying the band I8 over the heel 16. I advise placing the end of the shield I9 at the level of or slightly below the heel cap l1 4where it is positioned slightly away from the rear end of the heel cap as shown.

The entire device being rather small and firmly positioned low on the heel is inconspicuous. In

action the shield has practically no relative movement with the heel and merely acts as a xed shield as heretofore explained.

In the preferred embodiment as described', the device is integrally formed from rubber.

Now referring to Fig. 7 I show an optional form of shield wherein the attachment mem-ber 20 is made from spring steel with a xedshield 2| attached' thereto. xed invposition by forcing the openend of the` spring 20 over the rounded rear end of the heel and into rm resilient contact with the heel, with the shield 2| in the slightly removed position with respect to the heel cap,-the same as the shield I 9 in the form shown in Fig. 6. It will be appreciated that a similar structure may be made from phenolic condensation or'plastic materials to give the same results.

In Fig. 8, I show an optional structure utilizing a round spring wire member 22 havingv a shield 23 mounted thereon. This structure may be modified by mounting a pivotal shield member 24 on the spring wire 22 and providing an integral stop section 24s thereon to stop the shield vin the proper slightly removed position f from the heel cap.

' In Fig. 9 I show a fixed shield member 26 alxed to the heel 25 of a conventional storm rubber. This structure may be modied as shown in Fig. l0 wherein an upwardly projecting slot i 28 is formed in the heel. In this arrangement, I may provide a rearwardly projecting opening 29 at the'top of the slot 28 to prevent clogging of the slot and a pair of side openings 30 above the bead of the heel cap connecting into the slot 28 to catch drops of water on top of the heel cap bead.

In all the options I illustrate structures adapted In this form, the device is f to utilize a common principle of operation. namely, a small comparatively inflexible shield positioned slightly to the rear of the heel cap in order to permit drops of water to form at the rear of the heel cap with the shield immediately adjacent the drops of Water in position to stop and break up these large drops from being discharged from the heel cap, by immediately dissipating their inertia thus to prevent their discharge upwardly to soil limb clothing.

I appreciate that the structures shown may be further modified and I do not desire to be limited to these specic structures except as such limitations are imposed by the claims.

I claim:

1. In an antisplash device for footwear, a small vertical relatively rigid splash shield having a thin bottom edge mounted closely adjacent the cap to permit large drops of water to form on the rear of the heel cap and then to prevent the water drops from being discharged upwardly from the heel cap onto limb clothing.

3. In an antisplash device for footwear, a small normally inflexible vertical relatively rigid splash shield having a thin bottom edge to cover the rear of the heel cap and flexible fastening means to attach the shield to the heel of the footwear at a position slightly removed from the rear edge of the heel cap to permit large drops of water to form on the rear of the heel cap and then to prevent the water drops from being discharged upwardly from the heel cap onto limb clothing.

4. In an anti-splash device for footwear, a. small inflexible splash shield having a thin bottom edge to cover only the rear rounded section of the heel cap, said width being considerably narrower than the width of the heel, and flexible fastening means to attach the shield to the heel of the footwear at a position only slightly removed from the rear edge of the heel cap, said fastening means being so narrow and thin as to avoid changing the lines of the heel, the general proportions and arrangement of the device being so small and generally inconspicuous as to avoid changing the general appearance of the footwear.

CLARENCE F. NORLIN. 

